London: Doctors, nurses, fundraisers and volunteers who have made "outstanding contributions" to the UK's coronavirus response will be recognised in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours list to be unveiled on October 10, Downing Street said on Sunday.
This year's so-called 'bumper list' follows Johnson's call in May for nominations for those going over and above in response to the pandemic. As the first list to incorporate COVID-19 nominations during the ongoing pandemic, the 2020 Queen's Birthday list is designed to prioritise frontline and community heroes.
The recipients, including elderly fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore, are described as "outstanding examples" of the contributions which are still being made right across the UK, and are symbolic of the "ongoing, collective national effort".
The list, which is traditionally published in early June to coincide with the 94-year-old monarch's official birthday celebrations, was postponed this year in order to consider nominations of people playing crucial roles during the first months of the COVID-19 effort.
Downing Street said that following approval from Queen Elizabeth II, hundreds of additional people will be honoured for their contributions tackling the deadly virus on the frontline and in their communities. They will appear alongside recipients that were already due to be recognised for a broad range of achievements before the pandemic.